Sunday, July 22, 2018

Admin solons expect Duterte’s SONA to focus on federalism, drug war

By JOHN CARLO M. CAHINHINAN

Administrations solons are looking forward to hear a ​candid and ​substantive State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte which is expected to focus on his advocacy for federalism, war on drugs and corruption, as well as peace and security in the country.

House Justice Committee chair and Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali ​expressed hope that​ the Preisident would remain steadfast in his campaign promises and advocacies against crime, corruption and illegal drugs and federalism.

“As the leader of the Filipino people advocating for real change, he should espouse peace and unity, and work together for the common good,” said Umali.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, chairman of the committee on Metro Manila development, said he expects Duterte’s third SONA to be “short but powerful.”

Castelo ​said the President w​ould likely​ make a strong push for the shift to a federal system coupled with reforms in the economy and in the political arena.

“We expect the President to rally his party mates and allies in the Congress to give priority to the proposed revisions in the Constitution to put in place the framework of a federal system and provide for smooth transition,” he said.

Since federalism was the cornerstone of the president’s campaign, Castelo said ​it was time to really to get it going.

Committee on Appropriations chair and Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said Duterte’s SONA on Monday (July 23) would ikely report on how far the latter has gone in making these visions a reality.

Nograles, a nephew of Duterte​,​ said he ​was ​expecting ​the SONA to be based on “extraordinary accomplishments” including the realization of his promise to double the salary of men in uniform and, more recently, the impending enactment of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

“Last SONA, he promised a new Bangsamoro Basic Law and now we are about to have a new Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) which hopes to end the cycle of conflict in some parts of Mindanao,” said Nograles.

The Davao City lawmaker noted that at the beginning of his term, Duterte promised accessible quality education for all and so he expects him to report on the full implementation of the Free College Education law as well as on other beneficial legislations, such as the Ease of Doing Business Law, the law extending the validity of driver’s license to five years, and the national feeding program to address malnutrition in school children, among others.

“This feat has never been achieved by his predecessors until the end of their terms,” said Nograles.

Nograles ​also ​predict​ed​ that the gist of the President’s SoNA on Monday will focus on his administration’s effort to deliver on his commitments to the Filipino people.

Committee on Dangerous Drugs chair and Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said he thinks the chief executive will discuss lengthily the sustained economic gains under his administration.

“That’s a GNP of close to seven percent,” Barbers noted.

Barbers said he also expects President Duterte to talk about the achievements on the war against drugs and corruption, as well as the infrastructure revolution under the “Build, Build, Build” program.

​He was also hopeful that Duterte will demand from pharmaceutical firm Sanofi “the full refund of the Dengvaxia payment.”

​C​ommittee on Constitutional Amendments chair and Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado believes the SONA would keep high hopes for the country’s better social and economic performance due to the president’s vision: “Ambisyon Natin 2040.”

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